Cement export to India begins Tuesday

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FE Report
Export of Bangladesh cement to India by riverway will commence from July 24 ushering in a new era of trade between the two neighbouring countries.
The export through riverway will be executed under the Inland Water Inter-country Trade and Transit Protocol signed between the two countries in the late 1970s.
A local barge, MV Golden, will sail from Narayanganj river port on the maiden voyage carrying 500 tonnes of cement equivalent to 10,000 bags.
The vessel is expected to reach its destination at Karimganj terminal in Assam within three days.
Another voyage will be undertaken by July 31 carrying 1500 tonnes of cement to Guahati in Assam.
Local cement producer, Holcim Bangladesh, said it is expecting to export 15,000 tonnes to India every month for different ongoing projects in the Indian state.
"We will export 15,000 tonnes each month to the Indian state and it might increase as the Indian authority has removed different tariff and para tariff barriers on import of cement from Bangladesh," said one senior official of Holcim Bangladesh limited, a multinational cement producer.
The company has been exporting cement through land ports to the country over the past two years.
Meanwhile, India has allowed two more local companies to export cement to its market.
Cement manufacturers Aramit Cement Ltd and M I Cement Factory Ltd received the approval of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) after Delhi had liberalised the cement import policy in May this year.
BIS has opened a special cell to approve proposals received from abroad following the Indian government's liberalisation of the import policy.